The AHS cafeteria has undergone changes due to a Colorado state law that requires specific dietary needs in a student’s lunch. The district also wants to keep the payment method and the school lunch consistent throughout all three schools.

“Aspen High School must be in compliance with Colorado state statutes food service requirements. This entails nourishment criteria that legislation has required high schools to do,” AHS chef Jeff Spiroff said.

This means that the cafeteria must sell additional healthier foods resulting in getting rid of foods such as ramen noodles and candy. For some people this is seen as restrictive, but others enjoy the adjustment.

“I really like the new food in the cafeteria; it’s a change from the food at my old school,” freshmen Elena Thomas said.

Not everyone is a fan of the changes though.

“In the past, when I have had a bad day, a Snickers bar has always been my pick me up. Now, since they have stopped selling candy at the café, I have struggled to find something that has the same effect. I miss my Snickers,” senior Abbey Corcoran said.

In addition to selling healthier foods, there are three other major changes taking place in the cafeteria. The first alteration is the method of payment. In the past years, the system involved cards with a certain amount of money on each card, or students could pay with cash. This system of marking the cost of the purchased food on the lunch card took only a couple of seconds.

The new system involves an account for each student on which they can put lunch credit, although they can also pay in cash. This procedure takes around a minute to put in the account number and process the information. Since this system takes longer, lines and waits in the lunchroom begin to form. Chef Jeff was required to change his payment system so that it would be the same as at Aspen Elementary and Middle School.

The second adjustment is the transition from paper plates to washable plates that the Earth Club instated. Though this limits waste, it has proven cumbersome for Chef Jeff and his staff. He is an independent operation meaning his business is not a school organization and he is not supported by taxpayer dollar. He is contracting space from AHS, Chef Jeff explained. This means that all operational costs come from the money he earns, causing inflation in food prices he claims.

Of the three changes, the third will be implemented next year. After 12 years of cafeteria service, this is chef Jeff’s last, as his contract is not being renewed.

“Administration will take over, I assume,” Spiroff said.

As of next year, the same food operation that controls Aspen Middle and Elementary School will become part of Aspen High School in order to have consistency throughout the three schools.